Weaning is a really exciting milestone during your baby’s first year. Introducing your baby to a variety of different tastes and textures can be really fun for both mom and baby.
You may be prepared for the mess your baby is going to make of their face, highchair, and your kitchen floor while they are learning to eat solid food, but have you considered what weaning might do their poop?
Different foods can cause your baby to have poops of all kinds of colors and textures. One food that is well known for causing strange-looking baby poop is blueberries. You may be wondering can blueberries cause my baby’s poop to be blue and chunky?
Blueberries can turn baby poop blue and in some cases, stools can turn black or green. It is completely normal for your baby’s poop to change color after eating blueberries, especially if they have eaten a lot of them.
Sometimes your baby will not be able to fully digest the blueberries they have eaten and you may notice their poop is chunkier than usual.
It is not uncommon for whole blueberries to be found in your baby’s diaper. This is down to the short amount of time they are exposed to the digestive enzymes in your baby’s intestines.
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Can My Baby Eat Blueberries?
Blueberries have several health benefits and are regularly referred to as one of nature’s ‘super foods’.
During weaning, parents should be offering their babies a variety of fruits, vegetables, and healthy food choices, and offering your baby blueberries is a great idea.
However, the CDC recommends not giving your baby whole blueberries until they are 12 months of age due to the choking risk that they potentially pose.
By one year, your baby should be more efficient at chewing and blueberries should become less of a choking hazard.
You may still wish to cut blueberries in half after your baby’s first birthday, just to err on the side of caution. Many health professionals advise continuing to cut up small fruits like blueberries and grapes until your child is four.
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How To Safely Give Baby Blueberries
If you want to give your baby blueberries before they are one, here are some options to feed them to your baby safely:
Cut them up small
If you are trying baby-led weaning, try cutting up some blueberries that are a bit on the squishy side. Eating small foods like peas, sweetcorn and raisins give your baby a lot of opportunities to practice using their pincer grip and getting used to chewing.
Cut the blueberries up small if you are worried about choking and let your baby enjoy squishing them in their finger and hopefully eating one or two in the process.
Puree them
If you are going down the spoon-feeding route or you are just getting started with weaning, you can puree blueberries before feeding them to your baby.
By pureeing the blueberries, you are massively reducing your baby’s risk of choking while still giving them all the health benefits that come from eating blueberries.
Smush them up
If your baby is past the puree stage but you are still nervous about giving your baby whole (or even cut up) blueberries, you can just smush them.
Blueberries are great because you can easily mash them up with a regular fork or spoon. Smushing up your baby’s berries will make them easier for your baby to chew and they will be small enough to reduce the risk of choking.
It is important to remember that no matter how you prepare your baby’s food, you must not leave them alone while eating.
By staying present during mealtimes, you will be able to keep an eye on your baby and be immediately available if they start to choke or struggle to breathe while chewing.
Never feed your baby anything while they are sitting in a car seat, in their stroller, or lying down. To keep your baby safe while they are eating, they must be sat upright, preferably in a highchair, and must be supervised the entire time.
Health Benefits Of Blueberries
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Feeding your baby blueberries can have many positive effects on their overall health. Yes, eating blueberries can turn baby poop blue, but there is also a whole load of health benefits too.
Blueberries are a really healthy snack and, when eaten in moderation, have lots of health benefits for babies including:
- Source of fiber
- Full of antioxidants
- Source of Vitamin K
- Contain less sugar than other fruits
- Can help with constipation
- Source of B vitamins and manganese
Can Blueberries Change Baby Poop Color?
As you can see, blueberries are a really healthy contribution to your baby’s weaning diet. The fiber content can work wonders for your little one’s growing digestive system.
The antioxidants can help to reduce any inflammation in the body, and B vitamins are important for bone health.
As quick and easy snacks go, you will struggle to find anything healthier than a handful of blueberries. Be warned though. If your baby has recently started eating blueberries, it is time to prepare yourself for some really strange poops at diaper change time!
Blueberries can change the color of your baby’s poop. If your baby is just eating one of two blueberries you are unlikely to notice any change in the color of their stools.
However, if your baby is eating lots of blueberries regularly, you may start to find some interesting-looking poops in their diaper.
Due to their natural dark blue hue and the short amount of time blueberries spend in your baby’s digestive system, they can cause dramatic changes to the color of your baby’s poop.
You may notice your baby’s poop turn a dark blue, dark green, or even black color after they have eaten blueberries. Do not be alarmed, this change from brown to blue is a normal side effect of your baby eating blueberries.
If the blue poop is really freaking you out, try not to worry. Your baby’s poop will go back to its normal color after approximately 48 hours.
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Baby poop is gross and confusing at the best of times but we want to reassure you that it is completely normal for your baby’s poop to change color after eating blueberries.
Can Blueberries Cause Black Poop?
Blueberries are more likely to turn your baby’s poop a dark blue color rather than black. However, it is not unusual for your baby to have black stools if they have eaten a large number of blueberries.
Blueberries are a moreish and tasty sweet snack and it is no wonder most babies enjoy eating them by the handful.
If your baby is partial to a blueberry or twenty, do not be surprised if you find a black poop next time you change their diaper.
If you notice your baby has black poop but they have not been eating blueberries or any other food known to change stool color, you may need to ask your pediatrician for advice. In some cases, black poop may be caused by blood in the digestive system.
Undigested Blueberries In Baby Poop
Alongside changing the color of your baby’s poop, blueberries can change the texture and consistency of their stools too.
Baby’s digestive systems are still developing and sometimes have a hard time breaking down certain foods. For example, blueberries have skin that can be difficult to break down due to the speed at which food passes through your baby’s intestines.
Babies poop whenever they need to and this means they can have several poops a day.
Food can often be found partially digested in your baby’s diaper because of the little time it spends in the intestines and it doesn’t sit in the colon with the digestive enzymes for very long.
Food passes through babies much quicker than it does adults and that is why you might sometimes find the skin of a blueberry or even a whole blueberry or two in their diaper.
Don’t worry if you find whole blueberries or partially digested blueberries in baby’s poop, this is totally normal.
As your baby grows their digestive system will mature, you will begin to notice less and less half-digested food in their poop. Until then, just try to get through the diaper changes quickly so you are not put off eating blueberries for life!
Can Blueberries Cause Diarrhea?
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Eating blueberries can be beneficial to your baby’s overall health. However, when eaten to excess blueberries can do more harm than good.
Half a cup of blueberries contains 12% of your baby’s recommended fiber intake. If your baby is eating more than half a cup of blueberries a day they may have some tummy trouble after eating. When eaten in excess, blueberries can cause:
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Painful gas
- Stomach discomfort
If you notice your baby has an upset stomach after eating blueberries, don’t let them eat anymore for a few days until they feel better again.
In the future, try to monitor how many blueberries your baby is eating and only offer them a small amount at a time to prevent them from eating enough to cause a stomach upset.
Can Babies Have Blueberry Allergy?
It is always important to be mindful of allergies when introducing new food to your baby. Blueberry allergies are rare and as blueberries are not a common allergen – like dairy or wheat – your baby is unlikely to have an allergic reaction.
However, there have been cases of blueberry allergies and it is important to know the signs of an allergic reaction, just in case. There is always the potential for your baby to be allergic to any new food you give them, that is why it is important to introduce one food at a time during weaning.
Here is a list of symptoms that may be signs your baby is allergic to blueberries:
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- Hives
- Itchy skin
- Rashes
- Swelling
- Breathing problems
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Tightness in the throat
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Circulation symptoms
- Pale skin
- Light-headedness
- Loss of consciousness
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If you are concerned that your baby is having an allergic reaction to blueberries, phone your doctor for advice. You may need to remove blueberries from your baby’s diet.
If your baby is struggling to breathe, is swelling up, or becomes unconscious you will need to dial 911 or drive them to the emergency room for immediate medical treatment.
FAQs
Does blueberry change stool color?
Blueberries along with other foods when consumed can change the color of stools anything from blue to black. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about.
Are blueberries hard for babies to digest?
Things like the skin off of blueberries can be difficult for your baby’s immature digestive system to digest and this is why you may find skins in your baby’s diaper after consuming blueberries.
Can babies have blueberries?
Blueberries should not be served whole until your baby is at least 12 months old as they do pose a choking hazard. Blueberries are a great addition to your baby’s diet and have some great health benefits.
The Final Thought
Blueberries are a tasty and healthy snack but they can be responsible for some really weird-looking diapers. Blueberries turn baby poop blue, green, and even black when eaten to excess.
If your baby’s poop is blue or is chunkier than usual, don’t be alarmed. Blueberries are a great addition to your baby’s diet but you’re going to have to get used to changing diapers full of unusual colored poop.
You no doubt have many questions about foods now that you are starting weaning your baby such as When can babies eat puffs? or I Accidentally gave your baby honey?
